Preheat to 350. Butter a 2 quart gratin dish. Wash the leeks and slice thinly crosswise.Slice potatoes into thin rounds - 1/8" - (a mandoline helps). Toss with 1/2 of the salt and a pinch of the pepper. Layer in gratin dish.Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, remaining salt & pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard thyme; scatter leeks over the potatoes.Add cream, garlic and bay leaf to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg; remove bay leaf.Pour the cream over the leeks and potatoes; top with Gruyere. Cover with foil and transfer to oven. Bake for 40 minutes, uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden, about 15-20 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving.

Hmmm...reading your posts and updates, you're looking for something special. But when I do Big Beautiful Steaks and a Good Bottle of Red (yuuuuuuuuuum) I find we enjoy the meal most when I - with great restraint! - don't upstage the hunk of meat and the glass.

On our annual camping trip the end of August, I make potatoes that are wrapped in foil and cooked on the barbecue.

Wash the potatoes, leaving the skin on. Slice them or quarter them if they are small. Take a piece of foil, spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Put down a layer of potatoes, a layer of sliced garlic, sliced wild leeks, a little seasoned salt and black pepper. Put down another layer of potatoes, another layer of garlic and leeks and seasonings, add a good sized sprig of rosemary, a little butter or olive oil and a final layer of potatoes. Wrap up in the foil, then put a second layer of foil around the whole thing, with the second seam on the opposite side of the packet. Cook on the barbecue until tender.

You could substitute onion or shallots or regular leeks for the wild leeks. I use them because they are abundant where we camp. Or should I say rampant, since the other name they are known by is ramps. Most people dig them in the spring when they can see leaves but we know how to find them in late summer/fall.

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After cleaning out my Dad's house, I have this advice: If you haven't used it in a year, throw it out!!!!.

We had these with steaks and asparagus the last time we had dinner guests, and they were the best thing I have ever made. I also made a couple without shrimp and cajun seasoning to accommodate for shellfish allergies and people with an aversion to spicy food.

I haven't had steak in about ten years, but I did used to eat them on occasion (and always with enthusiasm). I'm not sure how much the cut matters in deciding on the cooking style or sides (I'm remembering my old favorite, which was a less manly cut), but here are my ideas:

The heart attack (my favorite)- Mixed greens with fennel and a snappy, mustardy vinaigrette- Steak, peppercorn style (have an extra pile of caramelized shallots to put on top of the steaks and a bathtub of the sauce)- Mashed potatoes (garlic'ed if you desire)- Creamed spinach with melted leeks and sundried tomatoes- Creme brulee (the best I ever had had slices of fresh strawberry baked in and I actually hit people with my spoon to keep them away. . . not eHell-approved, but justified, I promise!)

The twist- Wedge salad, made with grilled romaine instead of iceberg (grill only the cut sides over high heat just long enough to leave marks)- Steak, again cooked as desired (top with some herbed butter)- Twice-baked potatoes (top with cheese before you toss under the broiler, bring extra sour cream and chives to the table)- Creamed kale (cook the kale until very tender in white wine, butter, and lemon sauce, then add dill and cream)- Individual chocolate fondues or a selection of truffles

A bit out-there, but why not: - The steak, done as you desire- Red-eye gravy (usually goes with ham or roast beef, but I bet it'd be good on steak)- Grits, cheesy or plain- Collards - Corn spoonbread- Chocolate pudding

That was fun to think about, thanks!

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When we do steaks, we usually do twice baked potatoes with cheddar, sour cream, bacon bits and chives, along with pan roasted asparagus with toasted garlic, lemon and shredded mozzarella, and sauteed mushrooms and onions. I do an herb butter to put on the steaks, then cover the steaks with the mushrooms and onions when they're off the grill. And crescent rolls (yes, the ones from the tube - they just "fit" with that kind of meal - this is our comfort food orgy meal.

Here's my thoughts. If you want more grillable ideas, my fave is veggie kabobs. I just baste them with oil (usually canola), salt/pepper and then grill. The nicest combo for color is thick onion slices, bell pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes. I've found that quarters work best, or even halves of a roma tomato.

Also, one of my favorite alltime veggies is sweet creamed corn. You just remove it from the cobs, making sure to add the "milk" into the pan. Then add a little butter, cream, salt and pepper.